I am sad, I am in a foreign country, I long to return home, just for a single day, for if I stayed longer, I should want to go back.

In the evening we went to the Apollo theatre, they gave the Vestal and a ballet.  I wore white with a Greek coiffure.  There were a great many people, and an especially large number of men.  Not a single woman between our box and the stage.

From Monday, January 24th, to February 10th, 1876:  Rome, Hotel de Londres, Piazza di Spagna.

I swear that all these tragic and jealous remarks about A——­ were written under the influence of romantic reading, and that I only half believed them while I was writing, exciting myself for the pleasure of it, and I greatly regret these exaggerations.

The archimandrite has been at our house.  He is a charming man who, after having been a soldier, turned monk from despair at having lost his wife.  He told us that there was a Madame S——­ who greatly desired to make Mamma’s acquaintance.

Returning from the photographer’s, such dismal thoughts filled my brain that I did not dress and let Mamma and Dina go out without me.  Being left alone, I am very sad, I am singing “Mignon.”

Tuesday, January 25th, 1876.

I am homesick.  I took a singing lesson, and then went out with Mamma.  We went to M. de E——­’s studio.  He requested permission to present a very elegant and popular M. Benard, received everywhere in society.  He told us a great many things about Rome.

From there we went to Monseigneur de F——­’s, who yesterday asked if we had had our audience.

This priest is turning out better and better, he has even made scandals.  He told us that I had been noticed at the opera, my white dress had attracted attention, and said that to go to court we need only write to the Minister or Ambassador.

“I should like,” he added, “to be able to open to you the other door, as I have opened the Holy One.”

“O Monseigneur,” I replied, “the Holy Door is far preferable.”

From there to the residence of Madame S——­ (the archimandrite had told her, and she was expecting us), who is the most charming and the ugliest woman in the world.  She received us in the most delightful way, and immediately spoke of the Quirinal.